Can with bottom venting structure

ABSTRACT

A can having a generally cylindrical hollow body, a top cover at one end and a bottom cover at the other end, said top cover being openable and said bottom cover having a pull-out tab for creating a vent hole for venting the can to the atmosphere. A pull tab can be fixed to the top cover for pulling the top cover away from the can.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to containers, namely, cans for foodstuffs, which have a bottom venting structure so that any jelled product in the can, can easily slide out of a can once the top of the can is removed and the venting structure at the bottom of a can is opened.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Present day cans of a jelled or a thick material has to be scooped out of the can with a spoon once the top of the can is opened. Such materials include soups, such as mushroom soup and tomato soup, jelled material such as jellied cranberries and other semi-liquid products. Because of the thick nature of the product in the can, the can is often shook or pounded to remove the contents and often a spoon must be used to remove some of the contents in the can from the can.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a can having a generally cylindrical hollow body, a top cover at one end and a bottom cover at the other end with the top cover being openable with a can opener or having a pull-out top to open the can and with the bottom cover having structure, such as a pull-out tab, for creating an opening in the bottom cover for venting the can to the atmosphere.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a can constructed according to the teachings of the present invention viewing same from a bottom corner thereof and showing a venting structure for venting a bottom cover of the can;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the can shown in FIG. 1 and is taken from a top corner thereof and shows a pull-tab structure for pulling a top cover of the can off of the can for opening same;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the top cover of the can;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the bottom cover of the can, shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of another bottom cover for a can with a tab for opening a smaller vent hole in the bottom cover of the can;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the can viewing the same turned upside down with the bottom cover shown with the pull-tab pulled off to open a vent hole in the bottom cover for venting the can and showing a gelatine type food products, such as tomato soup or jellied cranberries, flowing out of the bottom of a can.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated in FIG. 1, a bottom perspective view of a can 10 comprising a generally cylindrical wall or body 12, which is conventional in the art and showing a bottom cover 14 for the can 10 with a venting structure 16 mounted thereon. The venting structure 16 is in the form of a pull-tab 18 fixed in the bottom cover 14 to enable a generally bean or oval shaped blank 20 defined by a score line 22 to be pulled out of the bottom cover 14 to create a vent hole 24.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the can 10 shown in FIG. 1 and shows a top cover 26 having a pull-tab 28 fixed thereon, whereby the pull-tab 28 can be pulled to pull the top cover 26 defined by a circular score line 30 from the can 10. The top cover 26 has the circular score line 30 adjacent an outer edge 32 of the can 10 to facilitate pulling of the top cover 26 from the can 10.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the top cover of the can 10 and shows the score line 30.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the bottom cover 14 of the can 10 and shows the pull-tab 18 and the blank 20 defined by the score line 22.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a modified bottom cover 34 for the can 10 which includes a slightly different venting structure 36. Here the pull-tab 18 is connected to a smaller blank 38, which is defined by a circular score line 40 to form a venting structure 36 which creates a smaller and circular hole 44 when the blank 40 is pulled out.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the can 10 shown in FIG. 5 but with the pull-tab 18 pulled away to pull out the blank 40 to create the vent hole 44 for allowing the atmosphere to enter the can 10 and relieve any suction force that would be created once the gel like material 50, starts coming out of the can 10. The vent hole 44, which allows air into the can 10 and breaks the suction, prevents this from happening.

It will be understood that the vent hole 24 or 44, in the bottom cover 14 or 34 of the can 10 enables the gel like material 50 in the can 10, such as tomato soup or jellied cranberries, to fall easily out of the can 10, often without the need for using a spoon to remove the jelled like material from the can 10.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the venting structure 16 or 36 and vent hole 24 or 44 formed therewith of the present invention has a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention.

Also from the foregoing description it will be apparent that modifications can be made to the venting structure 16 or 36 without departing from the teachings of the invention. 

1. A can having a generally cylindrical hollow body, a top cover at one end and a bottom cover at the other end, said top cover being openable and said bottom cover having a pull-out tab for creating a vent hole for venting the can to the atmosphere.
 2. The can of claim 1, wherein said vent hole is generally bean shaped.
 3. The can of claim 1, wherein said vent hole is generally oval in shape.
 4. The can of claim 1, wherein the vent hole is a small generally circular hole.
 5. The can of claim 1, wherein said top cover has a score line adjacent an edge of the can and a pull tab fixed to the tab for pulling the top cover away from the can. 